The Ugly Flower
by ASLee1
Summary: A retelling of the Norwegian tale, Tatterhood, with other fairy tale elements, Ruby sets off to save her sister from a rather "traditional" fate. Little does she know her sister is actually a pawn in a much bigger game. The secret of their unconventional birth holds the key to both their fates.
1. Chapter 1: The Lottery

**A/N:** Thanks for clicking and hopefully reading as well :) This is a fairytale retelling of Tatterhood that has borrowed from other fairy tales as well, primarily combined Red Riding Hood to get the job done and Snow White, as well as the short story_ The Lottery_ (not a fairy tale but high school English required reading), the Snow Queen, and many others. Thanks! :)

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_Chapter 1_

Ruby received a cup from her mother, using a cloth rag to dry it before passing it off to her sister to put away and receive another. Her mother had both her hands up to her elbows soaked in the hot tub of water on their kitchen table, scrubbing dishes from their dinner. She sent a glance out the small window in front of her looking out at the town. Ruby noticed her mother fidgeting but pretending not to worry as she continued her job on their assembly line.

"Girls," her mother said finally, passing her a plate, "I spoke with the mayor today." Ruby paused, her hand stopping its circular wipe. Her mother could not meet their faces, her gaze focused out the window. "Even though your birthday is in three days, the mayor said you're still to be entered in the lottery tomorrow." Ruby clutched tightly to the plate in fear she'd drop it in shock and turned her mortified expression to her twin sister. Scarlett met her gaze, a mournful but almost calm look.

The lottery was a tradition for all young women older than nine but younger than seventeen. It was not held every year. In the girls' lifetime, it had only happened once before, when they were three. It was a lottery for which young maiden would be locked away in a tower for questing, to be imprisoned there with multiple deadly challenges to overcome for her rescue. It was a method to test the bravery and honor of young men hoping to claim titles, land, or had no rights to either but a goal to prove worth. While in the public eye, the town held it as a great honor, in private every family despised its existence and the potential loss of a girl. Two women had died there before they could be rescued. The woman rescued from the tower when they were almost three was forty years old, her rescuer their age and little desire to marry the older woman. It had been almost a year now since the last girl had been rescued and recently the sorcerer had announced that the tower was ready for a new occupant.

Ruby handed the plate to her sister, Scarlett, and turned towards her mother. "May I be excused?" she asked as calmly and nicely as she could manage, which in no way could compare to her sister's abilities of near serenity. Her mother, nearly teary-eyed herself, nodded and allowed Ruby to escape.

She stole up to her room and placed her pillow to her face, letting out a muffled wail. A part of her did not yet feel the exact danger of such a lottery, the exact repercussions as she had been so young when she last witnessed it. But she knew in her heart, she did not want it. She did not want any more pain and suffering to come to her. Arms came around her shoulder and pulled her into a hug, a quiet cry joining her loud one. Removing the pillow, Ruby turned into the hug, pulling her sister closer. As to whether Scarlett cried for her, for herself, or for them both, Ruby could not be sure. Scarlett scarcely expressed emotion, leaving it to Ruby to extract it from conversation. Scarlett was her best friend, her only friend.

They were born identical twins, both with beautiful soft red-blonde hair and bright blue eyes. As they grew, both acquired pale skin that looked smooth to the touch with just the softest touch of rose to their cheeks, their hair forming a beautiful cascade of waves. But when Ruby had turned one, all her hair fell out and grew back white, but not true white, more of a faded grey. It made her look sickly and old, her pale skin looking pallid and thin, her blue eyes looking almost grey. As all children have that unruly desire to outcast another child and belittle them, Ruby became that child. They favored the name "Goosey" for her as her sister was such a swan in comparison. And so she hacked off her hair and hid beneath a hooked cloak of apple-red, the color of her name. Now her hair ended just before her breasts and still short enough to tuck beneath her hood while her sister's was long enough to bury her face in, as she did now.

Scarlett pulled away and made a smile. While some might turn to resent their sibling for getting everything handed to them, Ruby could in no way resent her sister for her unfailing beauty and grace. Scarlett did her best to protect her twin, to fill her up with warmth and love, that Ruby could do nothing but love her sister with equal passion in return. "There are eleven girls eligible for the lottery this year," Scarlett said. "We have a good chance not to be chosen, I think." They were three days away from being seventeen, from being too old for the lottery, a true reason to despair.

Ruby tried to smile through her tears. "If you are chosen, a prince is sure to hear of your beauty and rescue you right away."

Scarlett pet her hair as an older sister might. "And if you are chosen," she pulled Ruby's hair together and began to braid it, "a prince will rescue you. And unlike these boys in the village, he will think you an exotic beauty captured from a far away land. He will buy you rich spices and expensive gowns to flatter your looks and all will marvel with jealousy."

"I appreciate your fantasy. But I shall only be rescued in thirty years by a green, hairy goblin with hair as white as mine so that he might feed his starving children."

"But how would he carry you?" Scarlett laughed, miming a pint-sized goblin. They broke out into true laughter and fell against each other once more. "Neither of us will be picked," she reassured.

Scarlett and Ruby got ready together that next morning, their stomachs doing nervous flips as they dressed. Scarlett wore a pretty yellow and white dress with small daisies, her best apron over top, and tied a beautifully embroidered scarf over her hair, secured in a simple ponytail. Ruby tied hers back as simply but tucked it under her typical red hood. She wore a faded blue dress hidden by her best white apron and the cloak itself. They made an interesting comparison and hardly looked like sisters but they linked arms and steeled themselves against the cold looming face of fate.

The village had tried its best to fight the gloom, bright streamers were hung on laundry lines strung across the town square for the occasion. Even the flowers in window pots looked cheerful and bright. Dark colors were firmly avoided in favor of bright reds, yellows, and blues. Even the boys were dressed in their holiday bests. However, many eyes turned sour, catching the sight of their approach, fake smiles on their faces, some for Ruby herself and some generally at the idea of the lottery. After a girl was chosen, a small fanfare was arranged in celebration although in everyone's heart, it would be the celebration of those not chosen and the mourning of the girl lost to them. Unless, of course, it was Ruby. Sure, some of the older folk would mourn her but not to the equal of others. People loved to hate, especially in unity, and so when the children spoke ill of her, their elders were quick to chide but quietly form an opinion of her by their words.

Ruby squeezed Scarlett's arm as though it would help distract herself as her sister returned the squeeze but then it began. The mayor, an old man of eighty-six with a face of mush but still a brain of muster, grasped both sides of the wooden podium with his wrinkled, spotted hands, and leaned forward. "Out of the eight questing towers, we have the honor of stocking the fifth, as we have since its construction, when we would lock our beautiful daughters away ourselves to keep the unworthy from their gaze. Now we give one girl such a privilege, to be won by the best, to know she has been fought for valiantly and cherished as only a magnificent prize can be. And so we commemorate this tradition with the calling of the two hundred and nineteenth lottery."

At his signal, his grandson, a thirty something unpleasant-looking man, brought up his hat with the names placed within. He offered the crowd a fake smile, his grim features overshadowing it until it appeared stale. The mayor smiled at him graciously and with a shaking hand, reached in and pulled out a name. His hands, so thin and aged that each joint of his fingers stood out like knobs, pulled the wrinkled sheet of parchment out until the words became legible. He was forced to open and close his mouth with a sort of smacking noise until he was finally able to read it. "Scarlett, daughter of Mary and Simon," he said evenly, his beady eyes scanning the crowd beneath sagging, bushy eyebrows.

While noise rose up everywhere amongst the crowd, shock, surprise, and relief alike, Ruby caught her sister as she nearly fell beside her. Ruby thought herself too shocked to cry but although grief did not contort her expression, she felt the tears on her face. She pulled her sister close, attempting to do the comforting herself rather than her sister. Scarlett hugged her with all her strength, holding back a wail. Pushing through the crowd came the sorcerer's men, hardly men at all but golems, inanimate objects given life and human semblance. Their wooden and clay hands closed over Scarlett like the fingers of spiders and caused Ruby to cringe and release her sister against her better judgment. Crying out in terror of the reality and of her failure, she outstretched her arms towards Scarlett who let loose her wail, a horrible cry that made Ruby's knees weak with despair. The one who comforted, whose emotions were carefully concealed, let them loose as she was dragged away to be locked up forever.

She heard the comment beside her, an older woman, about the choice between sisters, a bitter comment. Ruby spun around and shoved the woman blindly, roughly, with the mean, twisted hope the woman fell and injured herself. She took off towards home and bursting into the kitchen, threw herself down on the table, no clue where her parents were. Probably like her sister, they had broken into hysterics but melted into the crowd, unable to find their feet. Ruby could not live with ridicule without her sister, she could not find her place. Her sister did not deserve a life in a tower. Ruby deserved it over her sister, to be locked away from ridicule, from frightening little children as Micah said she did.

Ruby pushed herself to her feet and pressed the side of her hands just below her thumbs violently across the bottom of each eyelid and ran them down her face. With a shake of her head as though it could shake the sadness from her, she pulled out a basket and began packing food to take with her. She was going to rescue her sister from the tower. Her sister did not deserve even one year in that tower. She heard her parents come in behind her but pretended not to hear. Two pairs of hands caught her at the shoulders and pulled her back until she was forced to look up at them. Their faces were equally stained with tears but like Scarlett had been, they were still firm and well-kept together. Her mother turned and inspected her basket while her father reached for the box next to the furnace, digging through it until he retrieved a dagger and added it to the basket. Her mother reached up to the shelf that displayed her finest plates, ones they never ever ate from, and from behind them retrieved a small silver hand mirror.

"Your great-grandmother was exiled from the village a little over twenty years ago," her father said as he secured these two items in her basket, wrapping them in cloth napkins. "If you wish to save your sister, you'll have to journey across the swamp to the forest beyond where your great-grandmother lives in its center." The swamp was dangerous, a place no one went, not even the huntsman when the fowl and stag fled into its lands and the forest beyond it was rumored to be even more so. Why would her grandmother live there, much less still be alive? "She is a very powerful woman. Even though she is your blood relative, she will still ask for a gift. You must present the hand mirror to her when you arrive at her cottage. Present it before she asks as she will not know who you are. Use the dagger only to protect yourself. Do not show either of these items to anyone. They are all you have to keep yourself safe."

Her father kissed her on her forehead and her mother pulled her tight. Ruby had to force her arms up to encircle her mother. She was stunned at their acceptance without argument and their aid. So stunned, she almost expected more. "But neither of you will come with me?"

Her mother looked down at her, trying a smile. "You know we cannot. Neither should you but I cannot argue with you for doing what we would wish to."

"I know you are strong enough," her father interjected. "It will be hard without your sister but she was never the strong one." As much as she wished to agree, she felt this speech had been prepared for a different sister. She could only hug them both, grab her basket, and leave before their words sunk in enough to keep her from leaving, as though it were the true intention of the words.

Outside, many of the townsfolk had returned to their homes. A holiday, most if not all shops were closed and few wished to celebrate a tradition that benefited the town not in the least. However, a few still lingered on the streets to gossip. Ruby saw them out of the corner of her eye and refused to give them a real glance. She could feel the heat of their eyes on her, their words still lost. She could not risk hearing what they might say, afraid her resolve might truly crumble. Even though the wind blew fiercely, storm clouds looming above her, she leaned her head into the wind, one hand to her basket and the other clutching the edge of her hood, and took one determined step after another until the stone and dirt roads dissipated to grass, tall enough to tickle her calves above her boots. The wind began to die but the clouds still threatened a downpour.

Ruby let loose her hand on her hood and straightened up so that she could get a better look as she went. The sky made her nervous stomach more queasy and the sight of the mangroves in the distance, hailing the entrance to the swamp, only increased it. She knew there would be no meal that she could keep down tonight.

She managed to make it to the tree's hollow just as the rain really began to come down. Pulling her knees almost to her chin, the addition of the basket made for quite a cramped fit. With a few rather uncomfortable adjustments until she was satisfied, she slanted her vision out into the rainy swamp. Out of tears, it was quite some time until she fell asleep, once the sound of rain against the trunk became a familiar rhythm.

Coming awake, Ruby rolled almost all the way onto her belly, tucking her hands under her chin. The smell of mud and mold and the sticky feeling that came with it caused her eyes to fly wide open, her arms quickly spread out to pull herself out. Outside of the tree had become a downhill mudslide, pulling her from its hollow in her deep sleep. A good thirty feet away from the tree, she could still see it up the slope from where she lay and the trail that her body had slid. The gooey sensation came back to her as she was sunken into the mud up to just past her belly button. Madly, she tried to pull herself out but with a sucking noise, the pool of mud held her fast. More importantly, her basket was almost completely lost to it. Giving up on herself temporary, she grasped the basket with both her hands and pulled until her hands were hurting, sweaty, and surely had at least one splinter. Still emotional, tears sprang to her eyes but she refused to give up. With one last yank, it flew free up the slope above her but at the sacrifice of her dagger, forcing her to watch it sink out of her reach.

Turning to her own rescue, having lost little more of her body in the struggle, Ruby attempted to claw her way up the slope, no hand holds, tree roots, or firmly rooted rocks for her to use. Digging vigorously until her hands hit solid dirt, she dug out hand holds slowly, painfully, and tirelessly. By the time she was out, she was panting, arms aching, nails caked, and hands blistered. Ruby was so ready to collapse but having lost her boots in addition, their thick leather surrendered to the mud for the rescue of her feet, she was not ready for more sacrifice. Scooping up her basket, she half-stumbled, half-crawled up the slick muddy slope she had only worsened in both her descent and in her mad exodus from the sinking mud. As Ruby reached the top, she turned and looked down the slope, which from up here looked actually quite flat except for the marks she had given it.

She took a moment to catch her breath, hands on her knees, and continued on to leave it all behind her, sleep wasted. The swamp was no party. Aside from unsteady ground that sunk into the water beneath it with her weight, she also found other challenges to avoid. The occasional suspicious mound of dirt would give way to a burst of steaming gas with giant, untimely huffs. Scaly creatures with sharp teeth slithered in the water, waiting for her to fall in, and strange furry creatures looked down on her from the trees with beady eyes, humanoid hands, canines larger than a dogs', and commented on her passing with varying degrees of hooting. As much as they made her wish to travel faster, the first challenge, the unsteady sinking ground, kept her at a walk, each step in question.

In the distance, the trees had seemed like rescue. But as she reached the forest, it was clear that any forest bordering a swamp was no mere forest. Its ground proved to be no more trusting. While on a whole, it was more sturdy, it was clear the forest had grown from the swamp and it took a great while before she did not question her steps. The dry dirt gathered on her feet and up towards her ankles, adhering to their mud-caked surface. Above on her legs and arms, the mud had already dried and cracked. It forced her to accept that moldy smell that had surely perforated into her clothes. She even had to stop to try and shake all the mud that she could out of her cape. 'Though well-worn, it was also well-made with thick, heavy fabric. The additional mud was an additional burden that put a hunch in her shoulders and the beginnings of an ache in her back.

Dusk was reaching the forest, its gloom enhancing the forest's dark threats. A slight chill reminded her firstly that she was not completely dry and secondly that the sun was nearly set. She could not be as close as she needed to be to her grandmother's house. In the heart of the forest. How much had she even penetrated the woods?

A crack of dead leaves caused Ruby to startle and she backed up against a tree trunk. A head peered around the same tree, nearly resting a chin on her shoulder. Her hairs rose, feeling the presence and her eyes slowly turned. Catching a glimpse of a face, she shoved herself away from the tree and nearly tripping herself as in the momentum, she tried to spin and face it. Golden, hungry eyes drank her in from a pale face and hawk nose. Wavy, black shoulder-length hair framed the face, the haunting smirk of a Cheshire smile surrounded by two days worth of stubble. Like a wolf or a dog, the man crept forward, sniffing the air for her scent. As he circled and smelled, his head made minute ticks like a bird examining a snail shell for the best way to extract its prey. As he crept behind her, she shivered as she felt the light brush of his hands against the small of her back. Ruby could feel her hands beginning to shake as they clutched her basket. She painfully remembered the dagger sinking into the mud. She had no weapons to use against him. Ruby was sure she was sweating, feeling a wetness where her arms pressed against her clothes and a trickle down the brim of her nose.

"Why little girl," he said finally, a voice that might have sounded calming with its honeyed tones had she not been so accosted. "You look quite... inviting." She was sure he must had meant appetizing since she knew she reeked of swamp. "I think perhaps we should become acquainted." That was the exact opposite of what she wanted to do.

"How about..." she tried not to stutter, "I acquaint you with my food?" She quickly threw the bread in his face and took off running. Over her breathing, it was hard to tell if he was pursuing. And it took almost an equal amount of energy as it did to run to keep the basket closed and the hand-mirror in it. Only when her throat burned and her sides ached beyond reason did she stop running. Now she really had no idea where she was and where to go. Trying to catch her breath, hands on her knees, she looked around. But forest looked like more forest. Ruby allowed herself to sit and despair. As her breathing quieted, she heard the soft trickle of water. There had to be a stream nearby. A drink was exactly what she needed.

Ruby scooped water into her cupped hands and brought water continuously up to her mouth until she was overcome with hiccups. Kneeling beside the stream, she examined what remained in her basket. Other than the hand-mirror, just a small piece of cheese remained, sticking to the side of the basket with mud. She cleaned both the mirror and the cheese in the stream. Ruby tried to make the small piece of cheese last even longer, nibbling on it like a mouse. It was getting so dark, she could hardly see anymore. It would be dark soon and she would be stranded in the open, in a very dangerous forest.

The tinkling of bells both scared and excited her. Looking up and around, she noticed three pixies. They laughed as between them they played with her mirror. "Hey! Give that back! I need it to give to my great-grandmother."

"Only one woman lives in these woods," one said, her voice high-pitched and juvenile. She had an interesting set of clothing covering her. At one angle Ruby saw it but then the pixie would shift and appear completely nude. It was highly distracting. "Baba Yana does not like visitors. You would do well to stay away from her."

The others chimed in. "If you let us keep it, we'll tell you how to leave the forest."

"I need to find her. She is the only one who can help me save my sister!"

"Very well. We'll show you the way."

Before she could say anything, much less stand up, they flitted away in laughter and then disappearing altogether. "Hey, come back!" Even though it was not wise, she began to scream after them until it was clear they were never coming back.

For what seemed like the hundredth time, Ruby summoned forth tears. But none would come. Her nose was red and raw, aching from constant rubbing and her eyes were equally so. She brought her apron to her face and tried to will herself to cry but she could not. Ruby lifted her head to tuck her hair back into her hood and noticed the stream had turned into a lake. In its waters was reflected a cottage just on the other side. In a cry of joy, Ruby abandoned her now empty basket and ran in the quickly descending darkness around the lake, tripping numerous times. She slowed as she reached the cottage, reaching out to grab its gated fence. Ruby quickly retracted her hand as she noticed the fence was made of bones. The cottage itself rose off the ground on four giant chicken legs, buckled from the weight of the cottage. Looking at the front of it, she could not shake the feeling that it had a face, watching her curiously. She steeled herself against her fears and lifted the latch of the gate. Ruby pushed it in, letting herself into the yard. Each step was filled with determination while her hands continued to tremble. As she approached the house, she saw no way to reach the door. She could not prevent a small shriek from escaping as the house knelt down to let her in.

Slowly and hesitantly, she raised a fist and knocked three times, each knock resounding with a loud thud. There was a sliding click on the other side and then the door slowly swung inward. Light poured out of the cottage, outlining a silhouette. Ruby blinked against it until the features became clear. Her eyes widened as she recognized the figure. Yellow eyes gazed down at her curiously from a wolfish face.

"My, what big eyes you have," he purred. Ruby tried not to shiver. Another appeared behind him and shooed him away. Short and hunched, the woman examined her critically. Her eyes were harsh, set in a wind-beaten face. Her hair was long but thinned, matching Ruby's in color. She wore a dress of yellow and red, belted with leather and pouches. From the side of her belt, two small skulls hung and swayed gently against her. As they caught Ruby's eye, their own eyes seemed to glow in the gloom. Ruby realized in fright that she was covered in mud, bootless, and most importantly, without her gift for Baba Yana.

Desperate, Ruby quickly dropped into a deep bow. "Great mistress, I come without trinket or bobble to honor your wisdom. Please see through my error and, should it please you, grant me my boon."

"Come in, child," the woman said simply, her voice nondescript.

Ruby hesitantly walked in the door, her arms folded against her chest in fear. The home seemed bigger inside than it did without. The room she entered was wide and open. It had a modest kitchen which was full of herbs hanging on lines or in baskets. The fireplace had a grand fire of blue flames, an iron pot hanging from a pole over the fire. She could hear it boiling although it had no distinctive smell. There was a modest table with a stool and two old wooden chairs. It had various herbs and animal parts scattered across it. Ruby could only guess she had interrupted dinner preparations. She certainly hoped it wasn't something more sinister.

The door shut behind her of its own accord and the old woman, Baba Yana, began her examination of Ruby without warning. Ruby had to stoop as the woman grabbed her hood with both hands and removed it, running her hands through Ruby's hair, even scratching her scalp. She continued to examine Ruby like one might livestock up for sale or slaughter. She turned Ruby around, pinched her arms, felt her sides, and even looked at the bottoms of her feet.

Then Baba Yana returned to her table and continued to cut the herbs, vegetables, and meat. "The hand mirror is a kind gesture but I suggest you keep it." Without beckoning, the wolf-man approached her and held out her basket, open and revealing that all its contents had been returned, even the dagger lost in the swamp. Ruby gawked for obvious reasons. "Rolf doesn't bite." Baba Yana looked up. "Put it over there, sweetie." She gesture with a knife to one of the canisters. "Come help me make dinner." Ruby felt a slight tugging and knew the woman meant her. She tried not to drag her feet as she came over. Baba Yana passed her a stalk with many green leaves. "Pull off the leaves and put them in a bowl. Cut up the stalk for soup."

Ruby did not recognize the plant. The stalk was thick like a corn stalk but smooth like a broccoli stem. It did not have much of a smell even when she place it directly under her nose. She had a hard time imagining it could taste good, especially the stalk. However, she dared not vocally question her great-grandmother and continued the preparations. The more she pondered, the more the situation made sense. The wolf-man, Rolf, sat on a short, wooden three-legged stool by the fireplace, wheedling a long stick in long strokes with a dangerous-looking dagger. The look on his face burned with an intense concentration and yet his hand was calm but firm. All that control, all that animal she had witnessed in the forest, this was a dangerous creature and yet he seemed like a toothless dog in Baba Yana's presence.

Baba Yana, after all, had not been banished for nothing. Magic was rare in their village although rumor came that it ran a muck the farther east one went, past the capital. So Baba Yana's talents were immediately feared. But more so than that, Baba Yana acted out of a certain self-assuming authority and took direction from no one. She healed who she pleased and cursed those who acted against her. - Ruby had once seen the recluse old woman in town who often sequestered herself in her hut. Her face, when about, was heavily veiled and her eyes, with their light cataracts, darting like frightened hares as she went about her business. The wind had blown her veil, shifting it just enough to reveal a fine pocking of boils across her face. Rumor had been that as a young woman, she had first wooed Baba Yana's nephew and then tried to flee town with his mother's ring, leaving him heart-broken. Baba Yana had, the townsfolk whispered, appeared like a specter before the girl, her hair billowing in the wind and face thundered like a malevolent goddess, and marred the girl's beauty so she could deceive no more. The most surprising thing of all was when Baba Yana allowed the town to banish her, gathering her belongings and taking to the forest beyond the swamp.

When the food was ready, Ruby was surprised with the large helping she received. Several looks Baba Yana gave her made the situation very clear. She would be expected to eat all of it. The soup smelled strongly of garlic although she did not see any added. The stalks floated in it, chopped into small pieces. They had given the broth of the soup a green appearance. Ruby made a face and forced a spoonful. It wasn't so bad. Surprised, Ruby spooned more into her mouth. Her great-grandmother nodded in approval. Ruby felt hopeful and attempted to broach the subject of her mission.

Baba Yana put up a hand to silence her. "None of that until the morning."


	2. Chapter 2: Seventeen

_Chapter 2_

Come morning, Ruby stretched out and rolled over on the cot, her eyes blinking against the light in the room. For a house that had only one door and no windows, it was surprisingly bright. But Ruby was coming to terms with just how magical the house actually was. From without, it could surely have only contained one room, the one she entered. But indeed, it had at least two others, a bedroom for Baba Yana and then this room which was just slightly bigger than a closet. It contained a cot she laid on now and a space beside it to stand up without being on the cot. 'Though the door was closed and she could not see into the other room, she heard the sound of footsteps.

Still in her dress from the other day, Ruby opened the door slowly and peered around its edge. Baba Yana was dressed in a simple country dress, her hair tucked away from her face in a simple handkerchief. She held a broom in one hand while she bustled about, gathering things to tuck into a knapsack. Although Ruby was sure she had made no noise, Baba Yana turned to look at her expectantly. "Good morning," she said. "There are eggs for breakfast, already boiled in that basket." She gestured to a basket on the wooden table with her herbs. "After that, you will train with Rolf. May I have your word you shall not leave until I return?"

Ruby nodded, thrown off by being so easily detected. Rolf appeared as though summoned, a coy smirk on his face. As the location he choose was right beside her, in her personal space, she jumped, suppressing a shriek. He held two wooden swords in one hand and came forward to stand beside the table. "Hurry to your eggs so that we may get started," he said.

Suddenly realizing what she promised, Ruby started forward. "But Baba Yana, you could not train me yourself?" Even with great effort, she could not completely hide her distress.

"You cannot save your sister with determination alone. Your brain is not made for scheming and your arms are untrained. So training you need. But I am a very busy person and my business takes me to the far side of the kingdom. Rolf will do very well in my stead."

Ruby reluctantly took herself over to the table and gave Rolf the most steely glare she could manage. She picked up her egg and began to peel it in every attempt to ignore Rolf as much as possible, despite the hairs raised on the back of her neck.

As Baba Yana opened the door, she paused and turned back. She walked over towards her room and drew out a neatly folded pile of clothing and set them on the floor by the door to Ruby's room. "These will be better fighting clothes than your dress. I encourage you to wear them regardless of social modesty." Ruby eyed them curiously, with an ever-growing sense of nervousness.

After popping the egg in her mouth, chewing slowly but carefully so as not to spill -already against etiquette by shoving it in her mouth- she went over and examined the clothing, drawing it into the room, closing the door behind her. She was forced to abandon her kirtle and petticoat along with her dress. Instead of a petticoat, there was a pair of linen drawers along with stockings that came up almost to her mid-thighs. The men's breeches, made of animal leather dyed black, were obviously not designed for her but came close, fitting comfortably enough above her hips, although they bagged over her thighs. While they had extra room at the crotch, they weren't too baggy elsewhere. The shirt, however, bagged considerably but was too uncomfortable to tuck all the extra in that it billowed and ruffled over her figure, exposing the top of her chemise. Thankfully, the cuffs of the shirt were tight enough to prevent the sleeves from coming up over her hands too easily. In finishing, she had been given a two-inch wide stiff yellow fabric band to tie around her waist where the two articles of clothing overlapped. She tied it in a bow at her back and was surprised at the support it gave her that she had lost from abandoning her kirtle. Ruby ran her hands across it in admiration but could not guess the material. With no inspiration for her hair, Ruby quickly put it in a simple braid to hold it out of the way. She gave herself an once-over and even with the girdle, felt a bit self-conscious, meticulously making sure her bangs fell evenly across her forehead as though they could fix the situation.

Ruby gave herself a mental slap. There was only Baba Yana and Rolf to observe her. Her great-grandmother had chosen the clothes and she did not care for Rolf. So what she looked like should not hold gravity here. Still, she could not shake the dread of drifting from society "rightness", even if the nature of her quest already had. That was a necessity. This style of dress was not.

As she walked out, she found herself comparing her outfit to Rolf's as he stared into the fire intently, as though he might lure out its secrets - as if a fire had secrets. His attire was all black, fitting for a villainous creature as he was. His shirt was not as loose as her's, sitting comfortably on his broad shoulders, 'though his frame was thin like a wolf's. His pants were similar although tucked into tall boots. Over his pants around his waist was a typical fighting girdle, complete with a sheath for a sword although it lay empty. He had pulled on short black leather gloves that ended at his wrists, presumably for sword fighting.

Without warning, he spoke. "You have not bathed."

Her eyes fluttered in surprise. "Of course not?" How could she? There was no tub here and the lake outside afforded no privacy. In the village, laundry day was wash day for the women and at most, that was only once a week.

"It makes it easier to smell you." He turned to look at her. "I know exactly where you are in the room without looking."

"Well, I don't expect to be fighting wolf-men," she quipped with spirit.

That made him smile. "If everything is expected and amply prepared for, there is no surprise and you are in advantage."

"Is _that_ what I'm learning today?" She did not trust him, did not like him. He was dangerous.

His only response was to toss her a pair of gloves for herself. They were quite soft, like kid leather. She was almost lost in them but caught herself as he walked out, both wooden swords gasped in one hand. Ruby picked up her pace behind him, putting on the gloves as she went. When he had picked a spot, he tossed her the sword and scoffed as she had to bend over to catch it, fumbling. "If it was a real sword, those gloves would not save you," he said as she caught it by the "blade".

He moved on, his face taking on a cold seriousness. He spread his legs and seemed as though he were going to root his feet into the ground but his grip on his sword was light, almost casual. "We're working with swords because they're practical. A larger weapon might look more threatening but you'll move slower and you'll have to carry it across the kingdom. A sword will be quicker both in blocking and attacking. The longer the fight lasts, the more tired you'll be. Attack me."

Ruby made a face, sucking in a breath. She moved the sword up, holding it like a batting stick. She rushed forward and made a swipe at him. He easily allowed it to pass between his arm and body, sliding up to her as her momentum carried her towards him. With a swift motion, he spun and grabbed the hilt of her wooden sword, easily pulling it out of her grasp. He turned to face her and tossed it back at her. Again, she struggled to catch it clumsily, caught off guard. "Predicable. This time don't charge like a seven year old boy," he said. "Approach until you are within fighting distance. Anticipate your opponent's movements. You should be able to predict them."

"But I," she started, voicing her confusion.

He did not allow her to finish. He brought his sword up from where it sat, slack in his hand by his side, aiming for the side of her arm. Her eyes widened and she tried to slide away, watching as the blade continued closer until it smacked her on the arm, pain radiating up and down her arm from the contact.

"Block," he said, frustration starting to grate in his voice.

His frustration fired up her own. This was the first time she had held a weapon in her hand and expected to use it. How was she supposed to know how to react? This was not how she anticipated to be taught.

This time she heard his feet move as he shifted his weight for a swing. Her eyes widened but she swung up her sword, just barely blocking. The force pushed her down nearly to a crouch. "Eh," he said non-committal, "try again."

By the time the sun began to descend past the trees, Ruby was sure she was covered in bruises. Even after all the "training" provided, she had only gained an understanding of the sword's weight. A break through his defenses or even a halt to his offenses was slight at best. There were scruffs in the grass from where she had slid, been thrown, and the occasional crash on her face when he side-stepped all too swiftly. The white shirt was quite profusely soaked in the most un-ladylike fashion -not that even a little bit of perspiration was lady-like. Her bangs were plastered to her forehead and caused a great itching sensation on her breaks when permitted to catch her breath and rest her arms as the sweat would begin to dry. Sweat in her eyes and the taste on her tongue had become expected. On her cheek she could already feel a welt forming from where he had used the hilt of his sword after a deflection and rammed the hilt against her, striking her face. Many times she had gotten so angry, she had tried furiously to catch him unawares, to fight dirty, just to cause some sort of miniscule pain, but every time she had been foiled.

"Back to the house," he said finally. His hair was wet with sweat, his mouth open, and sweat on his own shirt. But he kept his breathing as shallow as he could and stood as though he would have gladly fought all night, that it was only for her comfort that he called it to an end. Ruby was too relieved to care what the reasons were; only that she could rest. She pulled herself back to the cottage, trying not to let her tired feet drag. Rolf firmly took the sword out of her hand as his stride quickly took him past her. She could hardly do more than raise an eyebrow and follow behind.

Baba Yana had returned to the cottage before them. She nodded approvingly when she saw them return as though she already knew exactly how their day preceded. She gave Ruby the comfort of a chair at the table and placed a small wooden cup in front of her.

"Here, drink this," she said. Ruby picked it up and eyed the liquid inside. It gave off no odor and so she downed it, nearly choking as she swallowed. It reminded her of tree bark and many fouler things that she had to cough when she was finished, unsure if she was going to throw it all back up. "It will help with the bruises. You'll see in the morning." Ruby had no choice but to believe her.

Baba Yana settled across from her and asked for her hand. "I am pretty good at reading people but I should like your palm to verify." Ruby was unsure where this was going but complied, placing her sweating hand into her grandmother's. Baba Yana turned the hand palm up, grasping it lightly by the wrist. She traced the lines on Ruby's fingers but with very little contemplation, began to speak.

"You have spent a lot of your childhood introverted and considering your fate in misery. Only your determination has saved you thus far but it will not be enough to save your sister. You must also be cunning, quick, and strong. It will be a strong test, to remold your character. But without it, you will fail. Rolf has begun to teach you these things and will continue to do so along your journey. Sleep well tonight, no one will rouse you until you are ready in the morning, but after you wake, you must set off on your journey."

Though she had just asked this question this morning, she could not help revisit the question. "You will not do more?" Her parents had sent her here for help. Even as the unasked for child, her parents still loved her and would not have sent her here for nothing. Had she failed some test?

An insulted rage gathered behind Baba Yana's eyes like a fire storm. Even the roots of her hair seemed to redden with anger. She gently removed her hand from Ruby's and then fire behind her eyes disappeared as though they had never been. Ruby could hear her own heartbeat, see her pulse in her arm still resting on the table. Baba Yana had done nothing but she felt sufficiently cowed, shrunken in her seat. So frightened, she had to remind herself how to breath.

"When you arrive at your sister's tower, you will be in better condition than when you left your home. Magic does not make warriors. And warriors are those that take the towers. Rolf is my instrument and through him, I shall craft your victory. He shall neither imbue you with magic nor fortify. In tracking, stealth, and battle, he shall train you. The rest must come from you." Ruby felt crushed. She had accepted Rolf's training begrudgingly but with no idea of having to endure it for long. Couldn't she just - "give you a talisman?" Baba Yana finished, shocking Ruby once again. "The mirror you keep is the only one you need. It is true questers can receive aid from magic but very minimal. Most spells around the tower are nullified except for the simplest and harmless magic. It is time to learn the real world. Now we will speak of this no more. Tomorrow is your birthday. I expect you to make the best of it."

Ruby ate in silence and then went to bed, sullen. There was so little she could say or do without disrespecting Baba Yana. Any help was still some help. As little as she liked to acknowledge it, Baba Yana was right in sending Rolf. If Ruby refused his help, she was less likely to find it elsewhere. Her city was like an oasis in the midst of barren ground. Life was contained within it, did not venture in, and rarely saw those from without. She had no idea how the rest of the world functioned, from their customs to their dress. She had no idea where she could find aid, a contact, or anything else. Without Rolf, she was blind.

The next morning, there was a small wash bowl and towel in her room. She took full advantage, using it to rinse her face, behind her neck, and her hands. While there was no soap, which was coarse and left most people's skin raw and red, just the act of rinsing was enough to make her feel cleaner and remove the smell of the sweat from her body. Finally, she took advantage of it to remove the dirt of her journey from her hair and feet. Ruby felt a gentle peace fall over her as she braided her wet hair over her shoulder, the feeling of being home, safe. With the feeling of clean, she put on the magically laundered clothes next to the bowl and opened the door slowly. Baba Yana was waiting for her just outside, her hands folded before her and looking just as proud and kind as grandmothers were expected. The smile on her face was the kind of smile that made nearly every girl want to run into their grandmother's arms for a comforting and loving hug. That urge tugged at Ruby, restrained by the words of last night.

"You are now the perfect age for adventure," her grandmother said with a smile. "Sixteen is the normal age for marriage. You have survived it untainted and reached maturity. You have even traveled here and begun your independence. I warn you that this path usually does not lead back to sixteen and marriage. But I'm sure you know that." Ruby allowed a smile to creep onto her face letting the words wash over her in that proud tone. The warning, however, did not escape her. It was the goal of every girl in her village to be married and raise a family. By continuing, Ruby gave that up. She didn't have suitors but there was always a chance she might have found her way into an arrangement.

"I have prepared for you a sweet cake in that honor," her grandmother continued. "Come eat."

Ruby did as she was asked, grinning at the brown, fluffy cake. She eagerly bit into like a child and exposed its yellow center. Rich and sweet, it needed no syrup or sugar. "Thank you," she exclaimed as soon as she finished what was in her mouth. "Would you like some?"

Baba Yana shook her head. "Continue. It is all yours. You're lucky that I made it because I have put into it some tasteless additives to make it just as beneficial as a real breakfast.

"I wish to take this time to discuss an important detail for your journey. It is no coincidence that your future companion's name is Rolf. He is under my magical protection. I'm sure he performed a little stunt for you on your way to my cottage that caused you alarm. I saw your face when he answered the door as well as gave him the job. When you leave my influence, I can no longer protect either of you. As the moon wanes so will his instincts, moods, and as a result, his personality. The closer to the full moon the days become, the more like a wolf he will become until he loses himself in the wolf. Today is the last day before the new moon so by the time you leave, you should not notice any change. However, you are bound to reach the full moon before arriving at your destination. How you handle this issue will be on you."

Ruby found the sweet cake rather hard and dry in her throat on those words. She had tried to bring herself to terms with his companionship and now the feelings to despise his presence resurfaced.

"Ideally, of course, if you submit to his training, it should not be a problem to you, just to the public. So just as he will protect you, it may be up to you to protect him as well." She added.

Ruby took the water glass before her and downed it. Without a handkerchief, she used the long of her arm to wipe her mouth. She stood up slowly, focusing her gaze on Baba Yana. "Thank you so much for all your help. I know I've been not the most gracious during my stay but I do appreciate it. Even if journeying with Rolf makes me nervous, I definitely feel more confident than I did when I left home." Before Baba Yana could reply, Ruby threw herself into an embrace. That warm human feeling. Well, Ruby wasn't sure when she was going to enjoy that feeling again. Here she was, saying goodbye to someone again.

Baba Yana pulled her out of the embrace, still with that proud smile on her face as she looked into Ruby's eyes. Ruby knew enough to identify a dismissal but Baba Yana continued with a gesture towards the door. Trying not to look like a sulking youth, she opened the door and closed it behind her without looking back. Rolf looked very impatient as he stood in his ill-mannered pose before her. He tossed her a pack that she caught only because of the previous day's training and stared at it questioningly.

"It's got a day's worth of provisions in case of emergency, your mirror, an extra blouse and pair of socks, so the rest you're going to have to keep clean." Before she could register, again, he threw an object at her. A leather scabbard. Without a chance to put it on, he artfully tossed a real sword at her, hilt first. It twirled through the air like a dancer and despite her fears, she caught it too – by the hilt. She placed it in the scabbard and then tied it around her waist with a bit of a struggle from the added weight of the sword. She slung the pack over her shoulders as he seemed to have no intention of taking his time. He raised an eyebrow as though surprised at how fast she got herself ready.

It hardly surprised Ruby when Rolf took the lead, his strides naturally longer than hers, Baba Yana's words at the forefront of her mind. Ruby found herself analyzing everything she could about Rolf. Of course with some mysterious ability to be more like a wolf on full moons, he wouldn't have to try very hard to do his "job", to scare people in the woods. Even though it explained his personality, she still found herself looking for more. Did he have a tail? His pants were remarkably well-fitted and there didn't seem to be a bulge from one. There certainly wasn't a way she could think of for it to be strapped up his back.

She began to wonder. Like most children, she had heard the tales of large man-eating beasts (usually with a diet of naughty children) the size of a man. Now she wondered the merit of these tales. Were they based on humans that changed into these beasts? Or were they based on men who became ferocious, exiled, and forced to live on only what they could catch. Baba Yana hadn't been clear on how exactly he would become like the wolf at the full moon. As a result, she had every reason to be afraid.

However, just the fact that she had survived ridicule her whole life, survived the swamp and the jungle, and stuck on the thought that his bark was worse than his bite, she felt she had acquired some thick skin. She had spent so much time whimpering and surviving regardless of fears that she was done with that. She was going to survive this too.

He hardly glanced over his shoulder before his voice boomed in the silence. "My, what big eyes you have!" His chuckle was slightly unnerving.

Ruby shook it off with a shutter. "I thought silence was the preferred method of travel," she stated.

He shrugged. "It is. However your stare was mighty powerful."

"I wasn't staring," she exclaimed.

"Mmhmm," he said sarcastically.

Ruby squinted in thought. "I was just thinking that we should visit the capital to see if we can get them to stop this tower business."

He laughed, running a hand down a shoulder strap of his pack. "You might as well try to see if you can trade guides."

"If you think it would help."

He ignored her. "You can have the luck to lay eyes on the mountain palace as we'll pass nearby. The city would be nothing but trouble. You'd be lucky to leave with the clothes on your back. Your red cape would definitely be gone."

"Every place is full of thieves."

"You'd be irresistible." Ruby's face flushed, surprise letting her confusion through. "Your red cape," he explained with a dismissive fling of his hand. "You don't blend in. Right now if an enemy were stalking us, they could easily spot you from a distance."

Generally emotional, flustered, Ruby couldn't hold herself back. "But we're _not_ at the tower!"

He glared as though she were some irritating flea and spun on his heels setting off. "Why do you think Baba Yana didn't just… point you in the right direction, bye, see ya later? You know _nothing_."

He maintained the silence and although his general aura screamed brooding, he still managed not to stomp about. Even in anger, he stalked quietly. Which perhaps explained why he would throw her dirty looks every time she managed to bring the forest floor to life with snaps and crinkles of dead debris. Clearly for her to manage as he did, it would require magic. So the dirty looks were certainly not appreciated.

Eventually he froze in place, his hands at his sides but each finger curled like talons. "Ok, here's something simple to work on as we go. If you succeed, we find dinner. If you fail, we starve." Ruby said nothing which he took as a sign of consent. He pointed to the ground. "What's there?"

"Uh the ground?" Ruby answered. It was obvious that wasn't the answer he wanted. "Dead leaves and twigs."

"That _you're_ stepping on." Did it really drive him crazy that much? "Now look at my feet. Root and moss." He pointed to each as he said it. "Both are living, pretty solid, and don't. Make. Noise. You have to train yourself to spot them as you're walking and place your feet properly. And you can't just stare at your feet all day, because I know that's what's going to happen. You have to plan ahead, make it natural, because that can only take up a small part of your concentration. The majority of it should be on the area around you and how the woods responses to your movement. If you don't hear anything except yourself, you're doing an awful job." He pointed in the desired direction. "Now go."

Even though her teacher made her skin crawl and his attitude reminded her of the boys back home, she still sighed heavily. Studying the ground, she made wide steps to avoid the dead debris. He "tsk"ed under his breath. "Closer together. If your enemy caught you by surprise, you could throw your balance and thus your life. If you tried to freeze, your prey will probably spot you and run away. Especially if you fell over."

It nearly gave Ruby a headache, the torment she had to go through to get just a couple yards. Finally he stopped her. "Put your cape in your bag. And please, for crying out loud, just _try_ not to alert the whole country we're here."

No matter what she tried, it didn't seem to please him. She wasn't a beast so maybe her hearing was weaker but she was sure no _human_ could hear her approach by the time they were done. He still made her freeze when it was almost dusk. She was mid-step and unsure whether or not she should proceed with her step or back-step. The longer she debated, the longer she looked like an idiot. Risking his wrath, she finished her step until she could stand plainly, beaming at him when he reemphasized his impatience for her to stay with his hand.

A wild turkey casually emerged from bushes several yards away, although she neither saw nor heard it. They had no bow so she watched in amazement as he quietly slipped a knife from his belt into his hand, the whole thing only slightly longer than his hand. Quickly, he flung the knife full force that it had no choice but to fly straight. Its whistle as it cut through the air was enough to startle the turkey so that it released a call but it startled too late. Adrenaline tried to speed the wounded turkey away but its legs collapsed beneath it. Rolf allowed himself to move from his frozen pose and brushed his pants as though they were dusty.

"If I had lost my knife, I would have been very mad," he stated as though it would have been her fault.

Ruby threw him her own dirty look. "Well then, you're welcome."

Rolf walked over to the turkey and removed his knife, wiping it down with dirt and moss before re-sheathing it. With the turkey, he quickly strapped it to his pack.

Watching him gave her time to think. "Why not use a bow and arrow? I thought those were hunters' tools?"

"Takes longer to string a bow and notch an arrow. Turkey could have gotten away. I would have made more noise and moving, been easier to notice. It's even harder to sneak around the woods with a strung bow in your hand. It's a watch and wait weapon. Besides even if this turkey was stupid enough to show himself with you lumbering about, I'm not going to question how much longer he'd remain clueless. Rather than hunt after making camp."

"But now won't you stand out with a turkey strapped to your back?"

"It's not me I'm worried about."

Fortunately the turkey tasted really good after being cooked on a spit or Ruby would have endured those insults for nothing. He had made her pluck it while he stroked the fire to life. Of course while she did it, he ridiculed her work. Clearly she had no interest in surviving.

For a split second - or maybe it was something in the turkey - he seemed to soften up. "Truth is, I'm not very good with a bow and arrow," he admitted.

Ruby thought really hard about countering with an insult. However she had so few human connections in her life that she found herself touched that he was breaking that tough shell "That's nothing to be ashamed of," she said softly.

He scowled with the implication that he had desired a snarky retort. Feeding his turkey bone to the fire with a snap of his wrist, he picked up his sword. "Time for practice." Her feet had only just started to stop their aches from walked all day that she could not hide a groan, her face honest about her feelings. "Live or die. That is how this world works."

Ruby flexed her toes and resisted a cringe as they all cracked. She drew her new sword and tested the weight of it in her hand. The metal had a different weight, almost dramatically lighter than the wooden one she had begun to learn with.

Rolf noticed her contemplation. "Don't get cocky." With that, he attacked and she found the lighter weight of the sword gave way easier. Her eyes widened as the steel stopped inches from her face. She dug her feet into the ground as she used the strength in her shoulders to push his blade back. He raised his eyebrows briefly and it continued in flourishes until she could take no more.

"Well you didn't fail," he commented, plopping down by the fire once more.

She was practically panting at that point, so worn out she wasn't sure if she could wake back up for a year after she went to sleep. She chose to take his comment as a compliment. Ruby used her cape as a blanket as she curled it around her. Even though the activity had flushed her cheeks and made her practically boiling hot, the cape still smelled like home. It reminded her why she was here, what she was fighting for, and of hope.


	3. Chapter 3: City of White

_Chapter 3_

A man's cry broke Ruby's dead sleep, bolting her awake, her red cape sliding down off her shoulders and pooling in her lap. She had a clear view of two men forcing another to the group. A third holding his nose as sticky, crimson blood leaked from around his fingers, dripping over and off them down onto his shirt and the dirt. The man on the ground tried to shoulder one of the two on him unsuccessfully, his head shoved into the ground for a mouthful of dirt and spittle. One of the two, with one knee pressed into the square of the grounded man's back began to tie his hands with rope. She pulled her cape off her lap, folding it over one arm as she carefully rose to her feet. Gaining a better view, her suspicions were confirmed. Rolf tried in vain to shake his hair out of his face as, now successfully restrained, he was yanked to his feet. What could have possibly have occurred?

"You can enjoy a week in the stocks for assaulting a royal guard," the tallest exclaimed, using a hand to give a quick jerk to the restraints. He reminded her of mud, from his dirty skin to the mop on his head that he called hair.

The third man took his hand away from his nose and checked for fresh blood but an inexperienced Ruby could already tell it was broken. She noticed the man, his face weathered and wrinkled from years in the sun, his eyes intense and calculating, was otherwise short. Now that everyone was on their feet, he was dwarfed in comparison, no taller than four feet. However, he still had the respect of the other two men who clearly deferred to him.

Rolf spit on the tall man's foot. "Oh, is that what they're calling poachers nowadays?"

The other goon took the opportunity to knee him in the groan. The tallest man grabbed Rolf by the hair to keep him from buckling over. After rubbing Rolf's hair between his fingers, however, he forced Rolf to his knees in an attempt to keep him subdued. "Gustaf, it's a wolf-boy. This isn't hair; it's fur."

The dwarf drew a knife to hold in his hand, eying Rolf dangerously. He didn't even trust him enough to "pet" Rolf, cutting off some of his hair. He rubbed it between his pointer finger and thumb with a squint. "Makes little difference."

Ruby could hear her heartbeat, her head nearly throbbing from her indecisiveness. How did she step in? How did she turn the situation to her favor? In desperation, she squared her shoulders, raised her chin, and pursed her lips into a slight scowl. She tied her cape on, the red dye being generally expensive might help her goal. "You _will_ unhand my escort, sir," she declared.

"And what is this?" the second spoke up for once, his sideways grin unnerving as he tested the grip of a small axe he held in one hand. He began to approach her but the dwarf, Gustaf, threw up a hand, smacking the man in the chest. He dutifully paused although did not seem the least pleased about it.

Gustaf approached her, his helmet a bright gleaming gold-shaded helmet with a mane of horse hair sprouting from its top, catching the sunlight. It wasn't until then that the exact possibilities of his rank hit her. Although she kept her composure, on the inside she shrunk back and cowered in anticipation. "You," he said, pointing up at her. "Just as weird as the other one." Of course her hair color ruined the facade. Any high-born young woman with grey-white hair would be undeniably well-known. Clearly there wasn't one. He snatched her hand and noticed the calluses from training. Ruby took in a breath sharply and held it. He let go of her hand abruptly. "That decision is out of my hands, 'milady'."

Ruby applauded herself for not being stumped by his actions. "You will take me to your superior, then."

He nodded gracefully and gestured with his hands for her to move past him. "This way."

They gave Ruby her pack back after devouring her provisions, what she had looked forward to for breakfast. She found herself fighting a dark, moping scowl. However, she was still expected to carry it. Not really that much of a problem, but it just served as confirmation that they were humoring her facade.

The second, Stefan, became her personal escort. While she remained unmolested unlike Rolf, he still walked uncomfortably close to her. He stunk like a barn animal and she was at a loss of how to diminish the amount of odor that reached her nose. He had a long, flat face with small beady eyes and short cropped hair. Worst of all, he had the annoying habit of almost continuously wetting his lips although he did not speak. He would smack his lips each time and the sound made her cringe. His hand was at any moment inches from her arm, ready to clutch her should she attempt to escape. The whole thing made her skin crawl. She had the overwhelming desire to hunch over and fold her arms across her chest in comfort but she caught herself just in time. Even if they weren't fooled, she would have to charm whoever they were taking her to.

After little over an hour of traveling, they exited the forest to a wagon ready and waiting. They loaded Rolf in the back of the wagon first, securing him tightly to a small bench. Stefan roughly hoisted Ruby up, both hands on her waist, her own hands twitching with the desire to claw his hands off her. Shaking off the feel of that gross man, she settled on the bench across from Rolf who managed to look smug. The trio of captors settled in the front, the tallest driving the horses. With a click of his tongue and snap of the reins, the horses set off on a well-trampled path away from the woods and through farmland.

Ruby took the opportunity to worm information out of Rolf. "What did you do?" she hissed at him, hoping the loud sound of rocks beneath the wheels would drown out their conversation from the others.

"They snuck up on me," he shrugged.

She furrowed her brows, her mouth open in a perfect "o". "I don't believe you! So you attacked them?"

"They're thieves. Like I would let them take my belongings? You should be grateful I got to them before they found you. You could have been raped."

"That's supposed to comfort me?" He shrugged. She shook her head with a scowl and looked down the path. "Where are they taking us?"

He smirked. "To your favorite destination: the capital."

Ruby couldn't deny being nervous, traveling to the capital in this state, as a prisoner of sorts. She had wanted to see it, to make a plea, but at the same time, the reality of it made her tremble. She couldn't think of much else, her eyes glued to the path. While charming, the farmland countryside had little appeal to her. It all looked the same, carried the same feel, all would be shadowed in what lay ahead. The sound of the hooves hitting stone and then the feel of the wheels hoisted off the dirt onto stone sent a fluttering up her chest from her abdomen. Her hands closed into fists as she hid them close to her thighs underneath her cloak. Her foot tapped the ground impatiently. Farmland between houses became smaller and the sight of people became more frequent, although none of them paid attention to the wagon. A mountain in the distance became distinguishable as more than just a mark on the horizon. She could see the tips of towers disrupting the smooth silhouette of the mountain.

"Stop admiring the scenery and help untie me," Rolf hissed.

"But… but we're going to the capital."

"Yes," he nodded, his eyes wide and lips pursed in annoyance, "as prisoners. Their prison cells are just as hard and cold as the stone they're built into."

"Milady," a voice carried back from the front, "I wasn't aware escorts made so much noise." Ruby bowed her head, hands in her lap, face flushed, and shamed into silence. Rolf shook his head and looked away with a huff.

They were less than a mile away from the mountain capital when she could really admire its external beauty. The base of the mountain was a sheer cliff with no reasonable way to scale it with only one large entrance that they were steered towards now with a large stable before it. At different parts of the side of the mountain, towers rose up with peeked, pointed roofs. They would, on the occasional floor, have a balcony surrounding the circular tower with a rope bridge connecting the balcony to another on a different tower, creating aerial walkways above both city and mountain. Some towers did not connect to others at all. And one sat by itself with nothing other than a large cave entrance beside it. Towards the top of the mountain, the palace cascaded along its slopes, almost entirely above ground with one lone, magnificent tower where the Queen would lie sleeping. Before them, on either side of the cavernous city entrance were guard towers, a walkway between them carefully carved into the rock wall above the entrance. They were generously manned with men on foot by the entrance as well. Ruby's face flushed and heart raced with a flurry of emotions as the wagon pulled towards it.

They passed the stables, which surprised Ruby, and only stopped in front of the guards at the entrance. "State your purpose," the guards asked, taking a good look at Rolf and her.

"'Guests for Lord Roderick," the dwarf said.

"Captain Gustaf!" One of the guards said, looking intensely at an item on the dwarf's clothing that the dwarf was touching lightly.

The men let them pass and the horses with a light touch walked on into the large cave entrance, twenty feet tall in and of itself. The cliff walls rose even higher, surely a stunning fifty feet. Everything at this point was so tall, Ruby could not even see past them to see the towers rising farther up the mountain. She was even more amazed that the horses, creatures that spooked so easily, were willing to blindly enter the cave. The towers she understood. What she didn't understand was why build a city underground. In the dark. _Of course_, she thought to herself with a sarcastic half-smile. As they got farther into the cave and her eyes began to accept the dimness, she noticed just how bright that dimness was. The cave was covered with luminescent fungi and moss so bright that she could still see her feet, even the loose stones on the path the wagon took.

But even that could not compare to the city within. The cave entrance might have taken them over ten minutes to travel through but for just a glimpse of the city, it was worth it. The city did not need a sky although Ruby could certainly neither see the top nor fathom how the cavern held up without collapse. Everything shone in shades of yellows and reds, even the shadows cast with blues. What must have been pockets of sunlight pouring down from the ceiling shed light through mirrors that reflected the lights everywhere, through crystals and jewels until light was everywhere and made even the poorest beggar look rich in the form they took under that glorious light. Even the houses of stone looked as warm as clay. All this rose above them like the mountain above, gradually gaining in altitude as they went deeper in.

Ruby could tell that carts didn't normally cruise the streets. Running, laughing children would pause in their games, their flowing colorful streams of clothing coming to a rest, to stare in wonder and awe at the horses with their sides glistening with sweat. Adults fixed their eyes with hard suspicious stares at Ruby and Rolf to figure out guest or prisoner. It wasn't hard to see they picked the latter. Nevertheless, everyone made way for the wagon readily, giving them an unhampered trip into the city. As they reached the richer districts, Ruby could see the towers that reached skyward and out of the mountain's shadow. The idea of a villa in her village meant beautiful gardens and large, reaching homes. Here, luxury was a more vertical commodity.

They arrived at a stable in the square just before the towers began where they were forced to give up their cart. Rolf was yanked off the cart, practically by his hair. While they did not do the same to Ruby, they used their closeness to dissuade ideas of escape. They followed Gustaf through the stone streets until they arrived at a grand tower. There was a lift beside the stairs but it was immediately obvious that it could not hold all of them. Now she understood the exact privilege of the wagon. They would have to walk up all those stairs to reach their destination.

By the time they reached their destination, passing up several doors along the way, Ruby was sure it was mid-afternoon, their whole 'venture consuming much of the day. Relief did not cover the emotion she felt when their captors forced rest upon them, leaning over onto her knees, the hot, stifling air of the windowless tower staircase offering little relief as it filled her lungs. Climbing the stairs was much more exhausting than just walking in the woods all day. Gustaf gathered himself, standing tall, chin level with the ground, and opened the door, leading them into magnificent apartments. Everything was lush and warm, her whole body nearly consumed with jealousy and awe. The rug that ran down the entire long hallway gave way beneath her feet with no noise like velvet that she could not help but struggle with the idea to lay on the carpet just to enjoy the sensation. The walls, painted an ivory color, were large and stark except for an occasional grand painting, each with a frame of intricate gold, cut and laid like lace that her fingers could spend hours tracing the pattern and marvel. As Gustaf led them to the door at the end, she peeled her eyes away from the decorations long enough to notice the men on either side of the door, each lushly outfitted in servant suits with charming coat-tails and buckled shoes.

"I'm here to see my brother," Gustaf announced.

One of the men blinked in confusion but recognized him. "Lord Roderick is attending to company. I shall request permission on your behalf." Gustaf seemed a bit flustered at this predicament but nodded in consent.

The guard disappeared for about five minutes that ended up feeling like forever. Standing there reminded her of how much her feet hurt, trying to roll onto the balls of her feet and off her heels. Her hands were sweating as they clutched at the sides of her cape. Her hair, still tucked beneath her hood, clung to her head in damp curls, the wisps that had escaped, now like paint on the frame of her face. So sweaty was she that she couldn't even bring herself to tuck those strands back in. It was a sort of nervous sweat that instead of feeling hot, left her feeling unendingly cold.

The guard opened the door slowly to avoid making noise. He poked just his head through and a hand to bid them forward. Ruby leaned over and rubbed her hands dry on her pants before proceeding. Within was a grand eating hall, a table as long as the room, bigger than the hallway. Multiple grand chandeliers hung from the ceiling, each with tall candles and beautiful crystals to refract the light and send it everywhere. The room even had real windows with real sunlight shining through as the sun went down, revealing the beautiful sunset. Although the room - the whole tower - was gorgeous, she had quickly missed the sun, even the bright crystal city below could not compare to the simple joy of the sun.

However, Gustaf led them deeper into the room, away from the windows. Men and women of different stature sat at the table, all different shapes and sizes. What amazed her the most about the over-sized table was that although it was a rectangle, no one sat at either "head". So they were perhaps only three-fourths of the way down the table before they stopped before the dinner's host.

Gustaf slapped his chest with a fist. "Brother," he said, "I request a private audience to solve a matter."

They were still being served bread, the servants rolling massive carts of greens to bring around to the guests. Ruby could only imagine the courses they served and how the guests managed to eat it all.

The man's face was hard and stern, his cheeks concave and emphasizing the strong bones of his face. His beard was full and neatly trimmed, leading to a high-collared shirt of velvet. A velvet cape rested on the back of his chair lined with fur. His hands were thick and his joints looked to be swelling but his fingernails tore at the hard bread well enough. His eyes were flat and conveyed his feelings though his voice was cordial.

"You may speak here. All of the council is in attendance. You can have no better set of ears."

Gustaf flustered again. "The matter is quite personal.," he replied, his voice quite lowered.

"And I assure you they _are_ discrete." A level of danger could be noted in his voice. It was safe to say these brothers did not get along. But more likely than not, the brother was trying to get Gustaf to give up on trying to speak with him.

Gustaf, however, seemed highly goaded into speaking his piece. He gestured to his men who dragged Rolf forward. "This dog attacked us while we returned from council business your lordship so greatly sent us on. Surely, he is a poacher."

"He's a wolf-boy," the tall man muttered eagerly. Gustaf ignored him but the Lord raised an eyebrow at him.

Gustaf gestured to Ruby, who, confused, consented to approach. He grabbed her suddenly by the hood and yanked it off. "This is his witch-master who we have successfully brought before you, no children consumed in the journey."

Ruby's eyes widened at the ridiculousness. Eat children? She was not a witch. Again her white hair was attempted to do her in. Her eyes focused on the Lord, pleading for him to see the truth. Much of the table had quieted and turned their way to get a good grasp on the matter, no doubt simply for gossip.

"You brought me a witch? Unbound?" Lord Roderick said.

"We… we tricked her into coming."

"So she willingly came? You brought her before the whole council to put a curse on all of us? I see your broken nose and the dishonor done to you as does the whole council. But what is the cause of this matter?"

His eyes drifted to her and she took it as consent to speak. She did her best curtsy before speaking. "My name is Ruby, your Lordship."

"Not White?" he joked, getting laughs from others although she fixed her face like stone.

"I was born with red hair, your grace." She wiped her hands beneath her cloak again to fight that clammy feeling. "I did not wake until conflict had already begun. However, the altercation occurred in our camp, which I am assured was _not_ in the Queen's forest. My guide, Rolf, was attempting to fight off these three men. I can only assume they stumbled upon our camp, half-asleep, and woke Rolf. He must have thought them thieves and set himself against them. The fight occurred very near his bedding."

Lord Roderick smirked, setting his gaze on his brother. "Is this the truth of the matter? Did your men come into their camp, seeking to overwhelm a pair of children, for some trinkets? You attempted to accuse this boy for beating you in your own foolishness? Made you no attempt to explain yourself to the boy?"

Ruby did not think Gustaf's face could be any more maroon. He stood and boiled, his hands clutched in fists, as he struggled to find the right words to reply with. Instead, Ruby made a move to take advantage of the situation currently in her favor. With a glance from Lord Roderick, she knew she had permission.

"While I stand before you, your Lordship, I implore you to consider the dismantling of the tower system. Surely such means are no longer necessary?"

He laughed in reply. Not maliciously or sarcastically, but in a dismissive manner. "Every Lord here has gone through trials to prove themselves. Gustaf, here, is my older brother. I obtained this position through acts of valor, through honor. Had he performed the same, I might not hold this title. Everyone else at this table has proven themselves. Those towers are the most honorable means available and the ladies entrapped in them given the greatest honor of all. You are making such a quest, then?"

"My sister, Sir," she replied with an affirmative nod. "Her hair, unlike mine, is still red and she is the most fair. She has been undeservingly locked up in the fifth tower."

He laughed again. "Then with all haste, rescue her. I should send with you my son, Fredrick. He will be a suitable companion and perhaps you might give him some of your metal. Marcus, the sorcerer who runs the fifth tower is the most loyal of sorcerers. I trust he will make it interesting and keep your sister safe. If she is a true beauty, maybe he'll save her himself." Most of the table enjoyed the jest and laughed with him as he chuckled. Ruby frowned deeply. He ignored her and the simmering Gustaf, gesturing down the table. "Fredrick, show them somewhere they can stay the night."

Fredrick was a young man of normal height with none of his father's harsh looks. His face was soft and round with a frame of fair hair. His hand, as he took hers into it, was soft and perfumed. He pressed the knuckles of her hand gently to his lips, his green eyes on her. With his other hand, he gestured their intended direction. His eyes held her enraptured, forcing the color to deepen on her cheekbones. It was only with strong control that she managed to break that gaze and walk towards the door, her heart in a rush. She never managed to reach more than the full extent of an arm's length away for he did not release her hand.

Although flattering, he simultaneously mortified her. Her clothes were dampened from exertion and a nervous sweat. While here beside her walked the first man to look upon her in a pleasing fashion, surely he would be repelled by odor if not by her unappealing looks. He just smiled away her worried look and squeezed her hand as they walked out on to a balcony.

The balcony was of wooden planks, support beams somehow beaten into the side of the stone building. The railing was no more than rope. The view, however, was amazing. The mountainside itself had little greenery, mainly limited to a few evergreens and firs, but the stain glass windows into the city below glowed in the sunset's light. She could see the candles in the windows of nearby towers and the far-off lights in the farmland down below. The feeling of the cool, crisp air was relieving and beautiful. Although the rope bridge seemed a bit unstable, with a look of reassurance from Fredrick, it became exhilarating.

An annoyed sigh from Rolf brought her back to reality. Without intending to, she checked the phase of the moon as it came into sight, noting its waxing sliver. She glanced back at Rolf who self-consciously scratched behind his ear and looked over the bridge and down. Looking back at Fredrick, she felt her fantasy give way as she noticed the glassy look in his eye. It was a look that made everything seem very rehearsed. She smiled sadly up at him as though to say his cover was blown but he did not seem well versed in the language of such suggestions.

"These apartments," he said as they got close to the other end of the bridge, "are typically for guests of Queen White. In her slumber years, it is not unusual for our Lords to use them as a sort of high-class inn. My father will, of course, expect us to be gone in the morning. But mornings for him do run rather late."

Ruby found herself more concerned about food than sleep, her pack having been taken from her. Her sword had been taken as well. "By being high-class, it wouldn't by chance include a free meal, would it?"

Fredrick looked surprised by the question, almost daring to look insulted. He quickly saw the effects of such a reaction and soothed back into perfectly accommodating. "Of course food will be brought to you, especially after your treatment. I assure you, it will be quite lovely." That was good enough for Ruby as her stomach rumbled in agreement. He suppressed a chuckle and waved her through the door into the tower.

Despite her desire for a nice view, they were led down the stairs to a lower floor. Each room was quite literally a bedroom. Ruby suspected that quests were often entertained elsewhere. For guests that could expect no such treatment, it looked rather boring. The large bed was grander than she'd seen before with a tall wooden post at each corner polished until it gleamed and soft sheets that caught the light of the already lit fireplace perfectly. There was a bench at the end upholstered in a lovely fabric for sitting. Towards the fireplace, two simpler chairs were angled to catch the light and warmth of the fireplace to provide a cozy reading corner. Finally, an armoire provided a place to store clothing, not that Ruby had any need of one.

Fredrick dropped both Rolf and she in the room together. Clearly, it was not high-class enough for separate rooms. Or at least they did not care enough to question about her honor and give her the option. At the very least, Fredrick kissed her hand again before dismissing himself, promising someone would bring them food. Ruby smiled her thanks at him in a somewhat impatient fashion as he backed himself out of the room and left.

"Well, no one gets the bed," Rolf declared. "If we both deny access then there will be no fighting for it."

"Fine," Ruby agreed readily, although she couldn't help but eye it with longing.

The room's one window was facing the upward mountain slope but Ruby leaned out of it anyway. She craned her neck up to see if she could see the palace from here. If there was any proof magic existed, this was it. The Queen, Snow White, had accepted the task of protecting the land forever at the cost of infertility. She would rule for every fifty years, the periods in-between she would enter a fifty year sleep. During this time, the seven dwarf lords, descended from her saviors, would rule on a council in her stead. Even after two hundred years, she was still said to be gorgeous. Somewhere up the mountain in the palace she would be in her glass bed in her magical slumber, so at peace. How wonderful it must be, she could not help but think.

"I'll consider eating your piece should you prefer," Rolf commented dryly.

Ruby snapped around, wide eyes drawing in the room. A smirk curled onto Rolf's lips as she noticed the platter resting precariously on his lap. He had, to some degree, demolished much of the platter, leaving the more dainty-looking goods for her. Her eyes did catch sight of a sandwich as her stomach betrayed her. With a smile and a hand on her belly, she took the armchair across from which he sat. Un-artfully, she reached across and took the food off the platter. Gladly, she introduced the contents to her belly. He watched her eat with a curious judging look. She could only smile back smugly, resisting the urge to show him her teeth.

* * *

__**A/N:** there's a chance this chapter might come off juvenile in some areas. Even after sitting on it for a couple days, I can't comb that feeling out of there. Nor can I scrap it as the chapter feels pertinent to the story as it exists in my head. So I do apologize if this chapter rubs anyone the wrong way.


	4. Chapter 4: Dragon Scales

_Chapter 4_

Scarlett had known what it was like to be empty but never to be lost. Interesting how large the void was with her sister gone from her. Her sister had given her purpose, standing beside her against the prejudice. She could understand the feelings of the villagers, fear of the unknown, of change. Ruby was the unknown. Why should a child be born with the hair of an elder? Witchcraft, they had stated. Perhaps if they had known the truth about Scarlett, they might have feared her as well. The emptiness threatened to consume her. It was the excess of her sister's emotions that allowed her to feel, whether it be happiness or sadness. Without her sister, she didn't know what to feel, what to do. She felt… inhuman.

She felt numb looking out over the balcony at a view that should have terrified her. The tower was built out of a cliff face. The path below that led up to it from the ground leagues away was treacherous and narrow. The tower itself stood on the ruins of a castle, the stones scattered and half-covered by grass. Peaks of the mountain rose above it dauntingly, hiding the sun in the afternoons. In the dawn, the sunlight glinted off the grey-white stone and spilled over the balcony into the room. The balcony was a wide, magnificent thing, its railing inlaid with gold, and bowed out, giving her a great look to either side. It was almost large enough to be a room itself. In its size, there was no way to close the adjacent room off from it. As a result her bedroom and prison had an alarming draft that permanently fixed goose bumps on her arms.

Her wardrobe had been changed, her clothes taken from her. She had been forced to don a simple white dress. Its sleeves were nearly skin tight until her elbows where they belled out all the way to her wrists, so large she was sure she could store luggage in the sleeves. A simple yellow corded rope belt tied around her waist. Her handkerchief had been taken as well and left with nothing to tie back her hair. Instead she had been offered a golden circlet which she declined. It sat on the empty vanity table. Simple cloth slippers covered her feet. The outfit on a whole did not keep her warm from the mountain climate. She hugged herself against the cold, trying to imagine her fate.

The sliding of metal caused her to spin around, watching the door open, the only exit or entrance excepting a deadly leap off the balcony. She had met the sorcerer only once, when his wooden golems had brought her to the tower. In memory, her hand came up to touch her arm where a golem had grasped her. Its long, spidery, wooden fingers hadn't left a mark yet the spot still felt abnormally chilled, the sort of cold that almost burned. Her eyes fixed with apprehension on the sorcerer himself.

The sorcerer wore his forest green robes, belted with faded yellow cords. He wore his grey-brown hair long, ending just before the middle of his back. Hair on either side of his face had been braided back into a sort of half-ponytail to keep it out of his face. Like his face, his hands were long and thin, almost feminine, one resting tentatively on the door knob.

"If I may," he said, "I would like to test you."

Scarlett furrowed her brow. "I thought I was a prisoner."

He smiled but his brown eyes were hard. "You are more a participant. Not as much a prisoner as you might think."

She didn't realize she had built up all this anxiety around the fact until she released it. Her shoulders relaxed and tension dissipated from her muscles. She blinked through the confusion and tried a smile. Participants generally didn't die, didn't suffer torture.

He extended his arm towards her, holding out his hand. She studied his face as she hesitated. But she had never been a good reader and saw nothing. Slowly she placed her petite hand into his. As his fingers wrapped around hers, she fought back a shiver. She had yet to experience the warmth of a fire since she got here. The reaffirming chill contributed nothing to her opinion of the place, even as that cold seemed to sink its teeth into her heart.

As if summoned, a golem lumbered in, bowing its head to fit through the door frame. Its face was flat with little carving to it. Being an over-sized, animated stick, it did in no way accomplish feeling human. Really, she could hardly imagine why one would pick them for companions over real people, even as servants. For all her lack of feeling, it still filled her with approbation with its dark holes for eyes. Without being asked, it settled into the middle of the room as if waiting for instructions, looking for all the world like it had suddenly lost power, life force, the way it went lifeless.

The sorcerer squeezed her hand and mumbled under his breath. A sensation came over her that she could only describe as a succumbed shiver. Dressed as she was, it was bound to happen. But her eyes were more interested in the sight before her. The air seemed to brighten and almost glimmer like sparkles in the air. The golem itself almost seemed to glow before its golden body slowly turned brown, so slowly she had to blink and resist the urge to rub her eyes when she realized a difference. The brown became bark, its feet grew both together and out, its arms and head stretched up and apart. She felt a stabbing twist in her heart she could only attribute to the horror of watching the golem become a tree. The tree bloomed and bore fruit, small dainty pears.

Her eyes could go no wider; her head could feel no lighter; Scarlett stumbled back and the sorcerer moved to catch her. He felt frailer than she against her, all skin and bones beneath the robes. The smell of oils filled her nostrils unpleasantly. He slowly eased her onto the small bed in the room, sleep suddenly seeming like a great idea.

"You did good." There was only a small hint of kindness to his voice. He whipped about with authority and walked out, closing the door firmly behind him. Despite affirmation that she was not a prisoner. And the tree seemed to weep.

* * *

Marcus had slumped against the wall of the hallway as he dragged himself to his room. Now, sitting on his bed, he pushed off the robes and rubbed his scaled legs. A secret joy, long and deep, thrummed through his body like a purr as he measured the degree of the disease. Everything was working as it should, as he had predicted. Sleep delighted to come in that perfect moment and he welcomed it.

_He was the ocean, vast and far, great and mighty. All lay within his belly at his will, serving to survive his angry torrent. His grasp extended everywhere, even into the rivers and streams that poured into his body. The tendrils of his power slipped up around the dwarves, encircling their ankles, playfully, comfortingly, invitingly. In childish play, they were drawn to the ocean, excited to splash in its waters. But a simple flower, uprooted and lost in the breeze, settled between the dwarves and his dark depths. From its contact, a ripple shook him to his core. His body warmed and swelled. From its depths rose a serpent with all the teeth of his rage. Its power surged and he felt his consciousness melt with it until together, they had the power to devour the world. _

The part of his consciousness that recognized it as _the_ dream overflowed with ecstasy. This was a dream he had had many times, a prophetic dream that had fueled his motives, his desires. He was more than content to revisit such an event.

_But wind and nature were not yet done with him, for on the wings of air traveled yet another flower, a twisted, crooked thing. He feared its approach although he knew not what it would do. But no matter how he squirmed it came ever forward until it settled onto the serpent's nose. It stung no greater than a bee sting and he allowed himself to feel annoyance. However, before he could even think to crush it, his great body seized and from this small site, a current ran down his body, forcing his veins to bulge under the edges of his scaled skin, leaving his skin so tight it might rupture. There he twisted in agony and the dwarves noted his plight. They slid away out of his grasp where they could no longer feed him. And there they watched until he was destroyed, all by a single flower._

He could not shake the cold sweat upon him when he awoke, nor the tremors in his limbs. This part of the dream was new and threatening. He had never before felt this threat in any of his available senses. But Marcus had not been so idle in his recluse. It was time to release his gathered resources. His careful cultivations would serve his purpose now.

'Though his legs were still weak, he threw off the sheet of his bed and with adrenaline, jumped to his feet. He would have quite the summoning to do.

* * *

"Alright, F_roo_drick, this is where we leave you," Rolf said, spinning his sword in his right hand. He couldn't stop touching it since their weapons had returned to them.

Ruby turned her gaze to meet Fredrick's. She felt a bit torn on the matter and forced herself to keep her mouth shut. Fredrick had the potential to be a barrier, to protect her from Rolf. But Rolf had done nothing but help her. She had a growing respect for Rolf that allowed her to take his side. So instead, she turned her gaze up to the colorful lights of the city as they stood just before the tunnel to fresh air. The beautiful city tempted her, called to her with its seductive melody. It begged her to give up on her sister, to live here.

"I'm afraid I must continue on," Fredrick said. "You may find that you need me."

"I simply possess too much talent for you to compare," Rolf said dismissively.

Fredrick glared but then his lips completed the expression with more of a pout. "You see, I _must _go with you."

"Really, you _mustn't_ do anything. You didn't look too pleased to be singled out last night at your father's dinner."

"You saw how much respect is given to those who fail. I must come with you and I must succeed or I will be disinherited!"

"Well then, let's part ways and we'll see who gets there first," Rolf said with a shrug.

Ruby sighed, breaking the melodic hold the city had on her. "You can come with us, Fredrick. We all have something to prove. If you can help us get there faster, help me save my sister faster, then there are no faults against you."

Rolf turned on her, his glare reprimanding like a father's. "I don't see how you get to choose our course of action that you can just jump in and end it."

"I would be glad to go," Fredrick said with a short bow to Ruby. "I have a map that might be of some help."

Rolf's confidence waivered, speaking with faltering pauses. "I know where I'm going." He conveniently left out the word "generally".

Fredrick, however, had already broken out his map and was showing it to Ruby. Each tower on the map was drawn larger than the surrounding area as though to highlight its existence. Whereas the ink on the map was a brown-black, the ink used on the towers was also more of a reddish hue that made them increasingly more visible. As a matter of fact, her eyes were so drawn to looking at them, she scarcely examined the rest of the map.

All the sudden there was a prickling of her spine. "I will get us there," the voice growled in her ear, "_without_ a map." Ruby and Fredrick both jumped as Rolf seemed to have jumped across the space separating them and materialized behind them, no more than a hair's breadth away.

"We've wasted enough time. We're leaving." Rolf slid his sword back into its sheath, instantly relaxing the guards who watched nearby, their skin crawling from his presence. He didn't wait any longer before striding into the tunnel towards the other end. Ruby nodded, shouldered her pack, and picked up pace behind him.

"We're not getting horses?" Fredrick questioned with disbelief, rooted where he stood.

"Well," Rolf said, spinning on his heels, "are you going to buy us all horses?" Fredrick was taken aback by the question. "Then we'll walk."

Ruby caught Fredrick's pained expression but was glad when he didn't choose to gripe. Neither Rolf or she possessed any real pocket change to go making purchases. Even if a horse did make traveling easier, Baba Yana had more or less instructed her to learn how to survive on the road. She would have less opportunities on horse-back.

Even so, Fredrick worked against their good time almost immediately. They had only been traveling a few hours when he released his first outburst. "I have to pee."

Ruby and Rolf turned to eye Fredrick with their own slightly different questioning gazes. "That's nice," Rolf replied with scorn.

Fredrick just looked at him with a somewhat helpless expression. They had only been on the road a few hours and already he was showing his ineptitude. Even Ruby had adapted readily to travel and the accommodations that came with it.

Rolf pointed to the trees. "Well, go on." Fredrick looked at the trees and hesitated. "What? Do you expect me to hold it for you? Go pick a tree. Preferably one where we can't see you so we aren't shocked," -he pointed to Ruby - "Or find a reason to use it as a reference of comparison," - he pointed to himself.

Fredrick glared but couldn't think up a retort fast enough to count. Obviously hurt and offended he was demoted to such mundane commodities, he slunk off towards the nearby trees with disdain.

* * *

Ruby punched Rolf on the arm. "You ate all the bread!"

Rolf jumped away a good distance, his arm automatically going to his sword. "Hey, I can't help it if I get hungrier as we go on! Keeping you sharp and out of trouble is a lot of work."

Ruby didn't want to think about the fact that he got hungrier the closer they got to the full moon. She had thought Fredrick with his beautiful eyes would have made good company and an even nicer barrier. However, he had ditched them the first opportunity, refusing to budge from a card game when they found him - against Rolf's advise. Now she'd have to figure out what Baba Yana meant alone.

"Look, since we've stayed on this gods-forsaken road, we can at least work for food." He pointed down the road at a farm she could barely see.

They found the farmer working in the fields, already mid-morning. All his crops were hardly more than infants, sprigs of greens. They were hopeful, reaching for the sun. The farmer was hunched and rigid against the sun's heat. His pitchfork was propped nearby against a post: not really work for crops except hay. He spotted them before they could cross much of the field. Grabbing the weapon, he aimed it at them like a skewer.

"Don't come any closer," he said, his voice lowered.

They exchanged glances. "We've come to ask for a trade."

"I'll be givin' you nothing!"

Rolf, holding up his arms defensively, took a few steps closer. "This is a large field. We'll gladly help you tend it for a meal …and some provisions if it's not too much?"

The farmer motioned the pitchfork towards Ruby. "You a witch?"

Ruby tried her best to appear calm but she was sure she could not hide how taken aback she was by that statement. It was only the second time she had been accused of such. "No, I'm not a witch," she said as evenly as she could manage. Even so, she had a hard time looking him in the eye, her gaze continuously drawn back to the pitchfork.

She was beginning to feel like this trade was on the top of a short list of bad Rolf ideas. The farmer, however, relaxed the smallest degree on the weapon and looked between the two of them. He relaxed some more, holding it slack with just one hand.

"Been hearin' stories about people bein' attacked. You can never be too careful." Ruby nodded, hoping to help reassure the farmer. He pointed to a good half of the field. "Most of the plantin's been done. Just need to weed. Squish any bugs or beetles you find. Had trouble with grubs a few years back. Ruined most o' the crop."

They nodded that they understood. "Thank you," Ruby said. She was even more grateful that it was a simple task. Ruby had never farmed in her whole life.

What Ruby found to be the most tiring was the fact the weeds couldn't be left after being pulled. They had to be loaded into a wheelbarrow for the farmer to properly dispose of. And squishing bugs was a grosser occupation than she imagined with the amount of times she was forced to use her hands for the deed. Rolf, on the other hand, said or expressed little that she seemed alone in this experience.

However, it all felt worth it when they were invited in for a lunch. It was on the meager side but fresh food was hard to beat. The farmer's wife was a slender thing with a kind face marred with worry.

"So where are you headed?" the wife asked politely.

Ruby tried a smile, even if the subject wasn't quite a pleasant one. "To the fifth tower. To save my sister."

The wife nodded and looked down at her food. The farmer forced a swallow to make up for his wife's silence. "Our sons were killed in the Ogre Wars, convinced by the town hero that such valor would make them rich." He kindly left out that it only made them dead. "For Queen and Country."

"I don't think it's right," Ruby said. "Which is why my only choice is to save my sister."

"Instead you should-" the farmer began before his wife place her hand on his arm. He smiled apologetically. "Sorry. Politics aren't proper mealtime conversations."

His wife smiled politely. "It's simply important to appreciate life. That's what your sister would have wanted for you. To know that you're alive when she gets out."

Ruby opened her mouth to refute the woman and her insults. She caught herself and closed her mouth, looking down at her food.

After lunch, they weren't send away yet. They were asked to continue with the promise of provisions. So they retook to the fields. But now the sun was at its hottest and Ruby didn't much appreciate the way sweat made her clothes stick. As it were, fate would give her a much different reason to sweat.

Ruby was shocked that she was the first one to notice. She stood up and placed her hands on her lower back. Her muscles were throbbing from being bent over for so long. She moved to place her hot face into the wind, her eyes closed against it. When she opened them, it was only to spread them wider. The farmer's house was on fire. She opened her mouth and released an audible gasp as the roof collapsed. From the new opening, two claws reached out, each on a side only to pull up a body. The head raised itself up proud, beautiful, but evil. The creature was hardly larger than an ox, all black and covered in scales. Its haunches were powerful and bulging with muscles with tiny, vestigial forelimbs. Its wings which it spread as it reached the roof had a total span longer than its length, each with a claw that it clearly used as its front limbs. Those claws were what had appeared out of the house first and had clearly helped it climb. It flapped its wings and took a short hop-like flight over to the barn next to the house which was slightly taller.

The farmer noticed as soon as Ruby had gasped. He let loose a loud cry and rushed towards the house, screaming the name of his wife. The creature eyed him curiously like a crow does a snail and took flight. It aimed for him but as though it hadn't a care. Swooping down, it grabbed him with a back foot and then seamlessly went back to the air. If it hadn't been for the audible crunch of his body, they might not have even known the creature technically landed.

As it swooped towards them, Rolf noticed Ruby frozen with fear and confusion. He shoved her to the side roughly and he rushed away in the other direction, drawing his sword. "Wyvern!" He shouted, although the term meant nothing to Ruby. "Don't let it bite you!"

That was a bit more helpful. Ruby drew her own sword, following his lead. As he had shoved her and moved himself, the Wyvern had thrown the farmer's body at them. It crunched where they had been standing and bounced, flipped, and slid to a sickening stop past them. Ruby felt sick from the thought but managed to keep her eyes on the Wyvern. It had followed the body to the ground, clearly having expected its plan to have succeeded and too heavy to change direction when it failed. It used the claws on its wings for balance, creating an interesting hunch. It turned slowly but greedily. Clearly, it had every confidence in success.

"Would be a great time for a bow and arrow!" Ruby shouted to Rolf, who she couldn't see through the creature.

Shouting turned out to be a foolish mistake. The creature turned on her. Its eyes were sharp and keen. It might not have been as large as some things out there but being at least three times her size - even with a lesser intelligence than her own - it was enough to be terrifying. Her sword arm shook as proof as she moved her sword between the creature and herself. Rolf had taught her many moves and had given her lots of practice. But he hadn't taught her how to perform under pressure against an untested foe. Against a Wyvern.

For a creature whose wings were the closest thing it had to real front legs - those stubs on its chest offering nothing - it moved alarmingly fast. Ruby could do no more than move out of the way. She tripped trying to run backwards and rolled sideways. As she came up in a crouch, she felt a pain in her shoulder and knew the choice had been stupid. But before she could truly appreciate how simultaneously lucky and cursed she was, it turned on her, jaws gapping.

Singing as it spun through the air, a dagger sunk into the side of its neck near its head. The monster roared and turned on Rolf, who was a lot more sure of himself and a lot more comfortable in the situation than Ruby ever could be. Forgetting about Ruby, who could easily have been eviscerated at this exact moment, it turned its focus on Rolf. With his free hand, he drew out another dagger - Ruby had a hard time imagining he had any more - he taunted with his sword and threw the dagger with the other. This time the dagger didn't hit as spot on. It tore through a wing, leaving a hole no bigger than its diameter, and landed somewhere in the field beyond. Rolf didn't have time for regret. The creature reached forward with a wing to pin him. Rolf brought up his sword to hack at it and had to settle for a cut to avoid its teeth as it brought forth its gapping maw. The both of them could hear the snap of its jaws as they slammed shut where Rolf had been. It turned again, less surprised than before. It was on him before he had time to think.

Ruby could hardly manage any thought as she watched her teacher struggle to do more than keep his skin intact. Her face was riddled with fear and hesitation as she moved in to offer herself as another adversary. It heard her coming and turned on her, snapping its jaws at her. Narrowly avoiding it, Ruby screamed instinctively as she ducked. Rolf hacked at a wing from the opportunity. The wyvern swung back towards him as Ruby and her pounding heart swung at its now exposed side. She hardly did any damage with her weak attempt but it swung back towards her, taking a step back. She tried not to scream again as she avoided its teeth. Again Rolf assaulted it. It took another step back and then another. They both inched on the monster, even if Ruby did so on the edge of terror. It snapped at them more defensively than before, trying to get them both on the same side. They kept apart so that it couldn't face them both. Rolf took a gamble and rushed at the creature, his sword biting at its leg as he slid under the creature. It shuffled to get to him, nearly trampling him. Ruby acted on instinct and adrenaline, hacking at its nearest part, which was a wing. It went through the thin flesh to the bone of the limb. It was enough to get Rolf out of there. The wyvern shrieked and beat its wings furiously. It took to the air, letting out another call. If in anger or anguish, it was hard to tell. But for all their attacks, the creature seemed hardly injured. It winged off into the horizon without a look back.

Ruby let herself fall onto her butt, dropping her sword. The tears that she had forced back came forward as she panted. She pressed the back of her hand over her mouth and looked over at Rolf. Rolf was bent over, hands on his knees. He was covered in dirt, weeds, and sprouts. His hair was wild and plastered to his face. He felt her looking at him and raised his eyes to hers from his crouch. He said nothing.

Almost like he needed to show how unaffected and superior he was, he sheathed his sword. Then, he picked his way across the field, trying to pretend it was with direct purpose, but Ruby could tell it was to find his dagger. Spotting it, he swiped it like he had known exactly where it was. He wiped it on his pants and put it away. He looked back at her with a smirk as though he had predicted the situation.

Ruby wiped her face and leaned over to pull her sword onto her lap. "A wyvern?"

"They aren't very common," he said, coming to sit next to her. The comment wasn't so helpful.

"Care to elaborate?"

"Wyverns come from a female dragon …just a female dragon." She raised an eyebrow to let him know that didn't mean much to her. He huffed, exasperated. "When a female dragon is ready to procreate, she doesn't really go into heat like mammals, but needless to say, she's ready for a mate for around ten years. If a male doesn't come around after the ten years, the female will sometimes lay her eggs anyway. The ones that survive will hatch as a wyvern, which in many ways is like half of a dragon.

"They're generally very dangerous although fortunately not as smart as their dragon parent. Their bite is venomous enough to kill. No one has survived one. But while we're speaking of fortune, I should also mention they generally don't hunt humans. They certainly don't hunt for sport." He pointed to the farmer's body as his proof.

"Well, I'm not ready to fight that again anytime soon," she exclaimed.

"I should hope not." He rose to his feet and offered her a hand. She took it and allowed him to help her to her feet. "What I do expect is no complaining while we pick the farmer's cellar clean."

Ruby failed not to make a face as he led her back towards the mostly burnt and ashen house. She did not, however, fail to believe that the wyvern would come back.

* * *

**A/N:** I hope it's not too annoying how Fredrick was treated in this chapter. Essentially I had already written half of it when I stopped writing and really figured out where my story was going (or at least, how it was getting to the second half which is completely planned out). When I did this, the story definitely changed and grew and Fredrick became unnecessary. I just couldn't bring myself to rewrite it all. Needless to say, how I "got rid of him" is still very much in his planned character: a lying coward with a gambling addiction who never would have been able to really help them save her sister in the end - just stand back and take all the credit.

Hopefully, I can write the chapters faster and make the story a little more exciting like I feel the second half is. Thanks for reading. Love ya!


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